For us Dads, the holidays can often give us a chance to catch up on things around the house that we were too busy to do before. Now that you can spend more time at home, it might seem like a good idea to dust-off your long neglected to-do list. You might find a lot to do during this free time–yards to rake, leaves to burn, gutters to clean, Christmas lights to put up and take down, machines to fix, and miscellaneous things around the house to repair. Perhaps, there’s even a tree stump to uproot.
Quality Time
But before you commit to wearing yourself out, here’s something to ponder: consider the holidays as an excellent opportunity to spend some quality time with your children. Instead of using your time off from work to get busy at home, maybe it’s time to unwind. Instead of engaging with a different type of work, you may want to disengage from work altogether.
A little reflection while watching a football game with your son might help you remember the old adage—“a family that plays together stays together.” Enjoying a game together might be a wonderful opportunity to bond with your son, but it’s a passive experience. You’re both witnessing other people playing, but not doing anything at all. As a father, you want your son to be more than a witness to life. You want him to be a full participant. Moreover, you want your son to be an intelligent problem solver and to tackle challenges rather than feel intimidated by them. So you may need to go beyond sharing vicarious pleasures.
How can you, as a father, play a more active role in your son’s ability to contribute to the welfare of the world? How can you teach your son about mathematics, mechanics, project management, and living life with more gusto without lecturing on any of these topics? The answer may surprise you: get him a go kart. Incidentally, now is an excellent time to think about it. Since, it’s the season of giving, off roads go karts are a great way to show your love.
Benefits
When you think of go karts, it’s natural to merely think of it as a way to have fun, but Go karts can provide a lot more than sheer enjoyment. There are some educational advantages, too. First, it teaches motor skills, a way to develop good reflexes, self-control, and physical ability. Second, it teaches the idea of safety. By teaching your son how to drive properly, you are actually training him to be a safe driver when he grows old enough to get his driving license. By teaching him how to steer properly, when to accelerate and slow down, and what to do to stay aware of the road or terrain at all times, you are teaching him the skill of safe driving. Third, it teaches your son about the joy of shared family time.
Takeaway
Rather than get busy this holiday doing all the things that Dads usually do, perhaps it’s a good time to think about how you can spend quality time with your son, teaching him self-control and fun all at the same time. Getting him a go kart might just do the trick.